Great Fortunes Of The Gilded Age (Astor/Vanderbilt)

During the Gilded Age, a handful of families dominated the economy, amassing staggering fortunes.

If I asked you to name the richest American, you’d probably say Bill Gates or Elon Musk.  Both are from the top of the list!

Today, we focus on the earliest American millionaires – John Jacob Astor and Cornelius Vanderbilt.  They would rank #4 and #3, respectively, on the list of the wealthiest Americans of all time!  Their names are still synonymous with wealth and prestige – but do you know how they got their money?  Each is a story of incredible work ethic, sound judgment, and laser-like focus on building wealth.  You will be fascinated by the ways they built vast fortunes before the Gilded Age even began!

This four-week series examines the great fortunes of that fascinating era.  We will put each in perspective and offer intriguing insights, modern comparisons, and historical context.  Of the nine wealthiest Americans, six lived during the Gilded Age!

1. John D. Rockefeller – By far the richest American ever; controlled ~1.5–2% of U.S. GDP

2. Andrew Carnegie – Steel empire rivaled Rockefeller in relative power

3. Cornelius Vanderbilt – Transportation monopoly builder

4. John Jacob Astor – America’s first multimillionaire

5. Stephen Girard – Early-Republic financial titan

6. Stephen Van Rensselaer III – Enormous landholdings relative to GDP

7. Jay Gould – Ruthless but extraordinarily wealthy

8. Frederick Weyerhaeuser – Dominated American lumber

9. Henry Ford – Industrial wealth with mass-market reach

10. Elon Musk – Richest American of the modern tech era by peak wealth

11. Sam Walton – Retail empire creator

12. Bill Gates – Software dominance and long-term wealth

13. Jeff Bezos – E-commerce and logistics revolution

14. J. Paul Getty – Mid-20th-century oil fortune

15. Marshall Field – Retail innovator

16. Warren Buffett – Investment-driven wealth over decades

17. Steve Ballmer – Concentrated stock-based fortune

18. Larry Ellison – Enterprise software wealth

19. Sergey Brin – Search-era tech wealth

20. Larry Page – Search-era tech wealth

COST
The program is available for a minimum contribution of $5.00, which helps support my work and allows me to continue offering engaging content.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Cash/Check
Payable to: Barry Bradford
Mail to:
Barry Bradford
P.O. Box #177
Deerfield, IL 60015
Please write Vandy in the subject line.

PayPal
Pay securely via PayPal:

Venmo
Send to: @B-Bradford-1
Please include Vandy in the note.

Zelle
Use the email address: Barry1776@ATT.NET
Include Vandy in the note.

WAIVER OPTION
If you cannot afford to pay or feel my programs aren’t worth $5.00, you are welcome to attend for free or contribute less. Just email me to request a waiver—no questions asked! This one-time request will cover all future programs. I completely understand the challenges of living on a tight budget and offer this with compassion.

REGISTRATION LINK
Click Here to Register

DIDN’T RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM LINK?
If you don’t receive a confirmation email after registering, it means your sign-up wasn’t completed. Be sure to:

1. Check your spam folder for the confirmation email.
2. Save the confirmation email once you find it.

If you still can’t locate the email, return to the website and register again. Unfortunately, I am unable to manually send you the link, as it is generated directly by Zoom.